City Council - License Committee

City of Chicopee City Council License Committee Members Stanley Walczak, Chair Fred Krampits, Vice Chair Shane Brooks Frank Laflamme APPROVED 5-21-18 Derek Dobosz MINUTES April 30, 2018 The following are the minutes of a public hearing held Monday, April 30, 2018 at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers, Fourth Floor, City Hall Annex, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013. Members Present Walczak, Krampits, Laflamme, Dobosz Not Present Brooks Also Present Councilor Balakier The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM In compliance with the Open Meeting Law the Chairman asked if anyone in the audience was recording the meeting. Hearing none the meeting continued. Item #1 Application for a Hawkers & Peddlers license to sell ice cream at various locations around the city. Applicant Nurten Tetik 51 Van Deene Ave West Springfield, MA 01089 Applicant was present she stated that this is her family business we’ve been doing this for over thirty five years and her father actually builds ice-cream trucks. She stated last year he had open heart surgery so she would like to take over the business. She stated that she works in West Springfield now and would like to get a permit to work in Chicopee. Councilor Laflamme stated to tell the Engineer Department what area you will be working. Councilor Laflamme stated if we approve this tonight it still has to be approved by the Police and Health Departments. Councilor Walczak asked if you will be selling only ice-cream. Nurten Tertik answered yes only ice-cream. Councilor Krampits asked what the name of the Ice-cream truck is. Nurten Tertik answered the very best soft ice-cream. Planning Department Planning staff understands this applicant operates an ice cream truck that moves throughout the city. 1 Planning has no concerns with the request as long as all approvals from the Health Department are granted. Engineering Department If proposed work locations are within the city right-of-way, a street occupancy application must be submitted Fire Department No Concerns Councilor Laflamme motion to approve with all restrictions and Police and Health Departments approval – Councilor Krampits 2nd the motion – motion passed Committee vote 4 – 0 favorable Item #2 ORDERED THAT Honeyland Farms, 206 Newbury Street, be called before the City of Chicopee License Committee and City Council to discuss the status of the requested site plan for the business. Applicant was present. Councilor Walczak stated that last Decembers’ meeting we discussed that you would need a new site plan regarding the expansion of your business with new tanks and all the other amenities that you were adding. Mr. Bari stated that he does not have the site plans. He stated it’s out of his control. It is between the Landlord and the company that will be putting the tanks in. Every time he goes to the landlord regarding this situation he tells him they are in the timeframe provided by the State which is August 7, 2019 to have it completed. He stated the Landlord told him on March 15, 2018 they would start the work but the weather held them back. He stated that he did not see the last meeting notice sent to him and that’s why he was unable to attend the meeting. He stated when he received a new date to appear at the License Committee he showed it to the Landlord and told him that he was being questioned by the City of Chicopee on this issue. He stated that the Landlord had the Contractor call Councilor Walczak. Councilor Walczak then stated to the Contractor that this has nothing to do with the tanks it’s about the site plan. Mr. Bari stated that he has brought the same site plans with him. Councilor Laflamme stated that there was a concern with the left side of the building being a mess. Mr. Bari stated everything in my control with the trees and limbs have been cut down. Councilor Walczak was concerned with the overgrowth on the backside of the building. Mr. Bari stated we are picking section by section every week to clean it up. Councilor Laflamme was concerned where the handicap parking space was located. He stated it’s on the fence and it’s not marked on the ground that it’s handicap. He also stated that you can’t have parking where there is propane. Mr. Bari mentioned he has a handicap assessable ramp at the main door. Councilor Walczak stated that you’re replacing the pumps, tanks, and the double wide fiberglass canopy. Mr. Bari stated that he is replacing a double wall tanks. Councilor Walczak stated that you did indicate at the last meeting that you were going to repave and restripe the whole parking lot anyway. Mr. Bari answered yes. Councilor Walczak stated you indicated last time we met that there would be a new site plan. Mr. Bari stated that once they pull a permit to do the tanks they should have a new site plan. Mr. Bari also stated he just keeps getting pushed by the Landlord and the Contractor. Councilor Walczak and Councilor Laflamme stated that they understand. 2 Councilor Laflamme stated that the requirement for the tanks is under the Fire Departments regulations. Councilor Walczak stated that you are going from full service to self-service and to comply with chapter 188- 20 mentioned by Attorney Garvey. Mr. Bari stated yes Attorney Garvey did mention that at the last meeting. Councilor Balakier stated that he has received many calls from neighbors about noise and excessive traffic after dark. Mr. Bari stated that he is only there until closing once per week. He has spoken to his employees and we have addressed the issues about the noise and loud music. Councilor Laflamme stated that you may want to put “no loitering” signs on your property. You need to say, if you’re not pumping gas you don’t need to be on my property. You should call the Police and it will be documented to us showing that you are doing your best in asking for some assistance. He stated that you can’t control as an owner people coming on your property with the loud music but you can tell them to shut it off. Mr. Bari stated that this is the traffic coming from the Springfield side. Councilor Walczak stated that anything you can do to keep your good customers coming back and try to eliminate some of the riff raff with no loitering and no loud music. He stated that everything you can do to identify some of the people and indicate to them that you want to stay in business and this is hurting your business. Mr. Bari stated that he will have signs on each side of the building with “no loitering” and “no loud music”. Councilor Walczak stated to touch base with the Police Department to see if the Police on duty can stop in once and awhile to check. Mr. Bari stated that we do make sure that no one is hanging outside in the parking lot we tell them there is no loitering and they have to leave. Councilor Laflamme stated when you do call the Police tell them that you have been called in several times by the City Council because of the loitering and noise and they will try to help you. Councilor Walczak asked if you have increased your security with cameras. Mr. Bari answered yes we have one clerk and one person that will be pumping gas. He stated we also have two people between the hours of nine and eleven closing time. Councilor Walczak stated that at this time we’re waiting to see the progress that’s going to be made and the considerations because of the Landlord and the contractor. Mr. Bari stated if he owned the land he would have had this done before the deadline of 2017. Councilor Laflamme stated that your Landlord owns the tanks and you’re leasing the whole property and he’s responsible for licensing the tanks. Mr. Bari answered that is right. Councilor Walczak stated that we revisited some of the issues that we wanted to find out about. He stated that we obviously understand why the site plan is still in the process of development. Councilor Laflamme motion to postpone to the call of the chair – Councilor Walczak 2nd the motion – motion passed Committee vote 3 – 0 favorable Item #3 Councilor Laflamme motion to approve the minutes of March 26, 2018 – Councilor Dobosz 2nd the motion – motion passed Meeting Adjourned 7:11 pm 3